PODCAST 124: Healing your way to a purposeful life with Nakeia Homer

I was talking to my therapist the other day and filling her in on the backstory of my life. Within a few sentences I’d mentioned: close family drug addictions, a string of junkie ex-boyfriends, sexual identity confusion, socio-economic disparities, going into preterm labor at 24 weeks and a half a dozen other traumatic experiences.

“That’s a lot,” she said when I finally stopped talking and caught my breath. She was right, it was a lot. But, it didn’t always feel like a lot.

Maybe it’s because those traumas were now in the rearview mirror? Maybe it’s that I’ve done a lot of work on myself to understand it all? Maybe it’s that my life now is with parents who walk to the ends of the earth for me, a husband who cooks me dinner every night and sings my praises to anyone who will listen, a business -THIS business-  that allows me to dedicate myself to helping creatives create intentional lives and businesses, a healthy baby boy who was seven years in the making….who caused me to spend most of my pregnancy on bed rest but was and is worth every single tear, night in the hospital, ambulance ride and every other terrifying detail in that journey.

But…. all of that really great stuff – that seemingly endless list of blessings that I’m grateful for – doesn’t make the trauma go away.

Even if the trauma happened 30 years ago, it’s still there and if it hasn’t been processed, it can get between you and your greatest life. And even when you do heal, it doesn’t go away completely. BUT, it’s power over your life dissolves.

Is it work? Yes! There’s no way around it! Working on yourself is WORK. But, is it worth it? 1 billion percent HELLS YEAH!

The thing is, that this kind of work is hard to do solo. I’ve been blessed with great therapists and a dad who should be a therapist, and I’ve learned from some of the greatest minds on self-awareness and growth through books and podcasts. Having help through this stuff is essential. Our guest today, Nakeia Homer, is this type of helper.

She is a well-being educator, mental wellness advocate, and author. Nakeia helps people sustain their well-being, operate in their brilliance, and show up in their lives and work as the best version of themselves. As a former mental health professional, Nakeia has an insightful way of blending her academic expertise, personal story, and professional experience to meet the needs of personal and professional seekers – and to empower others to heal and grow.

Nakeia was the keynote speaker for our Camp Dear Handmade Life Summit and I’ve been following her on Instagram and getting boosts and insights from her pep talks I didn’t know I needed. I’m honored that Nakeia is joining me today on the podcast to talk about healing your way to purposeful life.